File No. 1199/170–172.
The Dominican Minister to
the Secretary of State.
[Translation.]
Dominican Legation,
Washington, May 24,
1907.
Most Excellent Sir: I have the honor to
transmit to your excellency a copy of the resolution adopted by the
Dominican Congress on the 3d instant approving the Dominico-American
convention signed on the 8th day of February, 1907, and a copy of the
communication addressed to the minister of foreign relations under date
of the 6th instant by the minister of the interior and police, quoting
the communication addressed to the said minister of the interior and
police by the President of the National Congress in forwarding to him
the resolution approving the said convention. Both documents show that
the National Congress has approved the pending convention without
altering its text; but as that body deemed it expedient to make some
explanations which it embodied in the resolution that approves the
convention, in his desire to avoid any ambiguity and dispel the doubts
that might arise in interpreting it, the minister of foreign relations
has instructed me to bring those explanations to your excellency’s
knowledge, in order to learn whether the President of the United States
finds them consistent with the terms of the convention and whether the
convention may go into effect as soon as it is duly promulgated.
I avail myself, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.—Translation.]
Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican
Republic.
The National Congress in the name of the Republic: In the exercise of
the powers conferred upon it by section 17 of article 25 of the
political constitution of the State, and after examination of the
Dominico-American convention signed ad referendum on the 8th of
February of the current year 1907, whose text reads as follows [here
follows the text of the treaty in full]:
Whereas this high body has deemed it expedient, in order to avoid any
ambiguity, to place at the foot of the said treaty the following
explanations:
[Page 311]
(a) As to article 1: It is understood that the
employees mentioned in that article do not in any case include those
who are to be appointed by the Dominican executive power in the
custom-houses of the Republic in accordance with our existing laws.
(b) As to article 2: The protection of
the receiver-general and his assistants by the American Government
shall only take place in case the Dominican Government should find
it impossible to extend it. (c) As to the
second part of article 3: It is understood that the urgent and
requisite tariff reform may be carried out immediately, in
accordance with the tenor of the text, since the Dominican executive
power can demonstrate that during the two years preceding the
current one customs receipts have exceeded $2,000,000. (d) Add to article 5 and after ratification by
the high contracting parties. Resolves:
Sole (article). To approve, and does hereby approve, with the
above-stated explanations, the Dominico-American convention signed
ad referendum the 8th of February of the current year.
Let it be sent to the executive power for the purposes provided by
the constitution.
Given in the hall of sessions of the
palace of Congress the third day of the month of May, 1907, the sixty-fourth
year of the independence and the forty-fourth of the
restoration.
(Signed)
Ramon O.
Lovaton,
President.
(Signed)
M. M. Sanabia
,
C. A. Nouel,
Secretaries.
A true copy agreeing with the original by me certified.
Santo Domingo, May 7, 1907.
José de J. Castro C.,
Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Foreign
Relations.
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
The Minister of the Interior
and Police to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs.
Ministry of Interior and Police,
Santo Domingo, May
6, 1907.
Mr. Minister: For the purposes that concern
the department under your direction, I have the honor to transcribe
for you the communication that on the 4th of May the president of
the honorable National Congress directed to this ministry. He says
as follows:
“I have the honor to inclose herewith, it having already received the
approval of two-thirds of the members of the National Congress in
the session of yesterday, the Dominican-American convention signed
ad referendum on the 8th of February, 1907, and submitted for the
approval of this body by the special message of the President of the
Republic, dated April 5 last. Congress assumes, in giving its
approval to this international document, that the explanations
introduced in the resolution approving said convention alter in no
respect the text of the convention, and only serve to clear up the
doubts that might occur in its interpretation.”
I inclose herewith the treaty to which the said above transcribed
communication refers.
I salute you very attentatively.
(Signed)
M. Lamarche
Garcia.
To the Minister of Foreign
Relations,
Government Palace,
Santo Domingo.
This is an exact copy of the original.
(Signed)
José de J.
Castro,
Chief Clerk of the
Department of Foreign Relations.
